Project Grant R35GM152126

This Project Grant award from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), provides $733,870 to Texas Tech University System to conduct research aimed at resolving the interaction network of cell surface receptors. The research will focus on two key membrane protein families: receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Specifically, the objectives are to: (1) investigate how ligand binding and cellular environment affect the local network of RTK interactions, (2) resolve the role of heteromerization on chemokine receptor GPCRs, and (3) develop a 3-color fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy instrument to study competition in the local interaction network of membrane proteins in live cells. The research is expected to generate fundamental insights into cell signaling pathways involving these receptors, which could lead to new opportunities for drug development and translational research. The project will be performed at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX and is scheduled to run from September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2029.